Slit wrapper for use in packaging produce in baskets



3,109,579 SLIT WRAPPER FOR USE IN PACKAGING PRODUCE IN BASKETS Filed Feb. 14, 1961 W. B. CRANE Nov. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR. 1444470 5 654M;

United States Patent Filed Feb. 14, 1961, Set. N0. 89,269 2 Claims. (Cl. 22987) This invention relates generally to packaging of produce for retail sale and particularly to an improved wrapper for use in packaging produce in producebaskets.

Copending application Serial No. 842,791 filed September 28, 1959, now Patent No. 3,067,039 for Produce Packaging Means discloses a packaging 'wrapper to be placed over a filled produce basket having projecting prongs at the corners of its rim. These prongs are inserted through slits in the wrapper to retain the latter in position. The wrapper is slit in a unique way which affords it with the ability to expand to form ventilation openings as well as to mold itself about the packaged produce as it is stretched into engagement with the basket prongs.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved produce packaging wrapper of the character described.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a produce packaging wrapper of the character described which uses less material than the previous produce packaging wrappers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a produce packaging wrapper of the character described which is uniquely designed for placement on square and rectangular produce baskets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a produce packaging wrapper of the character described which is adapted to be made in continuous strip form.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become readily apparent as the description proceeds.

Certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail by reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of the present wrapper in its normal, unstretched condition;

FIG. 2 illustrates the initial step in placing the wrapper of FIG. 1 on a filled produce basket;

FIG. 3 illustrates the second step in placing the wrapper on the basket;

FIG. 4 illustrates the final step on the basket;

FIG. 5 illustrates a tear-oft strip of :wrappers like that in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a modified wrapper to be placed on a rectangular basket.

The produce packaging wrapper W illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 of these drawings comprises a sheet or film 10' of thin, pliable material, such as transparent polyethylene plastic. The sheet has the shape of an oblique parallelogram with approximately equal sides and is formed with a central slit area 12. The sides of slit area 12 parallel the sides of the sheet .10, as shown.

Within the slit area 12 are rows .14 of spaced slits 16. These rows extend parallel to the longer diagonal direction of the sheet, as shown. The slits 16 in alternate rows 14 are aligned in a transverse direction of the rows, while the slits in adjacent rows are offset a distance approximately equal to one-half the length of each slit. The rows of slits afiord the central area 12 of the wrapper \with the ability to stretch or expand in the shorter diagonal direction of the sheet 10.

The rows 14 of slits terminate a distance from the in placing the wrapper 3,109,579 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 edges of the sheet 10 so as to leave a solid, unslit border or margin 18 which completely surrounds the slit area 12 In each obtuse corner 22 and one acute corner 24 of the sheet 10 is a slit 26. Slits 26 in the obtuse corners 22 are approximately parallel to the longer diagonal direction of the sheet. Slit 26 in the acute corner 24 extends transversely of this direction.

The packaging Wrapper described above is placed on a produce basket 28, having prongs 30 at the corners of its rim, in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. Thus, one basket prong 30 is first inserted in the slit 26 in the corner 24 of the wrapper, as shown in FIG. 2. Next, the corners 22 of the wrapper are grasped and the latter is stretched in its shorter diagonal direction to insert two basket prongs 30 in the slits 26 in these corners, as shown in FIG. 3. Finally, the remaining corner 24- of the wrapper is pulled over the remaining corner of the basket and the final basket prong 30' is inserted in one of the slits 16 of the wrapper close to the latter corner of the wrapper, as shown in FIG. 4.

When the wrapper is stretched in its shorter diagonal direction, as shown in FIG. 3, the longer diagonal dimension of the wrapper shortens. For this reason, as well as to accommodate the mound of produce in the basket, the longer diagonal dimension of the wrapper, in its normal, unstretched condition, is made some-what greater than the diagonal dimension of the basket, as may be readily observed in the drawings.

The shorter diagonal dimension of the wrapper, on the other hand, is somewhat less than the diagonal dimension of the basket so that in its normal, unstretched condition, the wrapper has a diamond shape. Thus, the wrapper must be stretched or expanded, in its shorter diagonal direction, across the mound of produce in the basket in order to insert the basket prongs 30 into the wrapper slits 26 at the obtuse corners of the wrapper. The wrapper, when thus stretched, assumes a generally square configuration matching that of the basket.

The advantage of the diamond shape of the present packaging wrapper, then, is that it is expanded or stretched into a square shape, matching that of the basket on which it is placed, so that in the finished produce package, the wrapper closely fits the basket. Also, tensile forces exist in the stretched wrapper which firmly confine the produce in the basket. If the Wrapper were square in its normal, unstretched condition, of course, it would have to be stretched @rom this square shape to a diamond shape to create the same tensile forces therein, thereby resulting in an unsightly produce package.

Another advantage of the present diamond-shaped wrapper is that it requires less material than a normally square wrapper. For this reason, the wrapper 10 can be used to advantage for packaging produce.

FIG. 6 illustrates another form of the present produce packaging wrapper whichis intended to be placed on :1 rectangular produce basket. The modified wrapper W is substantially identical to the earlier wrapper W except that two sides of the wrapper W are longer than the remaining two sides so that when the wrapper is stretched in its shorter diagonal direction, it assumes a rectangular shape suitable to a rectangular produce basket, rather than a square shape.

The produce packaging wrapper W (as well as wrapper W) may be made in a continuous strip S as shown in FIG. 5, formed with serrations T between adjacent wrappers W so that the latter may be readily torn from the strip as needed.

It is obvious that the prong-receiving slits 26 in the wrapper may be omitted and the basket prongs inserted through the slits '16 in the wrapper.

It is evident, therefore, that the invention hereinbefore a 3 described is fully capable of attaining the objects and advantages set forth.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging wrapper comprising:

a thin, pliable plastic film in the shape of an oblique 5 parallelogram and having a central slit area bounded by a solid, unslit margin which extends entirely about said slit area,

said slit area having generally straight and parallel rows of spaced slits which extend approximately parallel 10 to the longer diagonal direction of the film,

the slits in alternate rows being aligned in the transverse direction of the rows, and

the slits in adjacent rows being offset in the lengthwise direction of the rows, whereby said film is adapted to 15 v be stretched in its shorter diagonal direction.

2. A packaging wrapper comprising:

a thin, pliable plastic film having a central slit area in the general shape of an oblique parallelogram and bounded by a solid, unslit margin which extends en- 2 tirely about the slit area,

said slit area having generally straight and parallel rows of spaced slits which extend approximately parallel to the longer diagonal direction of said slit area,

the slits in alternate rows being approximately aligned in the transverse direction of the rows, and

the slits in adjacent rows being offset in the lengthwise direction of the rows, whereby said film is adapted to be stretched in the shorter diagonal direction of said slit area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,106,921 Sykes Feb. 1, 1938 2,203,084 Evans June 4, 1940 2,3 11,767 Lumbard Feb. 23, 1943 2,689,678 Wendt Sept. 21, 1954 2,712,383 Murphey et al July 5, 1955 3,006,137 Pollock Jan. 9, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 105,315 Germany Feb. 13, 1898 

1. A PACKAGING WRAPPER COMPRISING: A THIN, PLIABLE PLASTIC FILM IN THE SHAPE OF AN OBLIQUE PARALLELOGRAM AND HAVING A CENTRAL SLIT AREA BOUNDED BY A SOLID, UNSLIT MARGIN WHICH EXTENDS ENTIRELY ABOUT SAID SLIT AREA, SAID SLIT AREA HAVING GENERALLY STRAIGHT AND PARALLEL ROWS OF SPACED SLITS WHICH EXTEND APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL TO THE LONGER DIAGONAL DIRECTION OF THE FILM, THE SLITS IN ALTERNATE ROWS BEING ALIGNED IN THE TRANSVERSE DIRECTION OF THE ROWS, AND THE SLITS IN ADJACENT ROWS BEING OFFSET IN THE LENGTHWISE DIRECTION OF THE ROWS, WHEREBY SAID FILM IS ADAPTED TO BE STRETCHED IN ITS SHORTER DIAGONAL DIRECTION. 